1. A new state, Ukraine, appeared on the world political map in 1991. Ukraine occupies an area of 603,700 square kilometres. The territory of Ukraine extends 900 kilometres from north to south and 1,316 kilometres from east to west. In the north Ukraine borders on Belarus; in the east and north-east, on Russia; in the south-west, on Hungary, Romania and Moldova; in the west, on Poland and Slovakia. In the south Ukraine is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The total length of the frontiers is 6,500 kilometres, including 1,050 kilometres of the sea frontiers.
2. In the north of Ukraine there are forests, in the west — the Carpathian mountains, in the eastern and central Ukraine — black-soil steppelands.
3. We can admire picturesque slopes of the green Carpathians and the Crimean hills, the green forests of Poltava, Chernihiv and Kyiv, the endless steppes of Kherson, Mickolayiv and Odesa. It is really the land of woods, lakes and rivers.
4. The main territory of Ukraine is flat, but 5% of it make up mountains.
5. The major rivers are the Dnieper, the Dnester, the Bug, the Donets and others.
6. Typical representatives of the Ukrainian fauna are hare, fox, squirrel, bear, wolf, goat. Among the trees growing in the Ukrainian territory are birch, pine, oak, fir-tree.
7. The Carpathians are situated in Europe and stretch through Hungary, Poland, Romania, including Ukraine. They are divided into the West Carpathians, East and South ones. The highest point of the Ukrainian Carpathians is Hoverla — 2,061 metres above the sea level. They are covered with beautiful forests and woods, there are meadows here which are called as "polonyna."
8. The Crimean Mountains stretch for about 150 kilometres along the coast of the Black Sea. The highest point of them is the mountain Roman-Kosh — 1545 metres above the sea level.
9. The Crimea is a peninsula located in the south of Ukraine and is washed by the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
10. The population of Ukraine is about 46 million (46% male and 54% fe-male; 30 million urban and 16 million rulal; density: 87 persons per 1 square kilometre). Ukraine is inhabited by representatives of 128 nations, nationalities and ethnic groups.
11. The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv. It stretches on the high hills along the Dnieper, rivaling the oldest and most charming cities of Europe.
12. Ukraine's other big cities are Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Lviv, etc. The largest Crimean towns are Simpheropol, Sevastopol, Kertch, Yevpatoria, Yalta and Feodosiya.
13. The geographical position of Ukraine is very favourable for the development of its industry and agriculture.